Inspired by South Carolina tradition, Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce blends yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey, and brown sugar. This quick 15-minute sauce brings bold, tangy-sweet flavor to oven-baked ribs, pulled pork, or anything you want to upgrade.
Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce - Highlights
- Not Your Average BBQ Sauce: Carolina mustard barbecue sauce uses a tangy yellow mustard base instead of the typical tomato, setting it apart from classics like Kansas City BBQ sauce. And, yes, mustard in a BBQ sauce rocks!
- Sweet, Tangy, and Balanced: I love the combo of honey, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. It’s not just sweet, not just tangy—Carolina Gold BBQ sauce has the perfect balance to cut through rich meats. I slather it on my oven-baked ribs, and it caramelizes beautifully. Or, serve it with grilled pork tenderloin. And, honestly, I’ve even used it as a dip for fries or my garlic bread.
- Ready in 15 Minutes: No crazy cooking techniques, no waiting overnight, no rushing to the store. This Carolina BBQ sauce recipe uses pantry staples, comes together in a single saucepan, and all you do is simmer and stir.
The Origins of the Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce
Carolina BBQ sauce is a tangy, slightly sweet mustard-based sauce that’s super popular in South Carolina! It’s made with yellow mustard, vinegar, sugar, and spices—sometimes with a hint of hot sauce. Its origins go back to German immigrants who settled in South Carolina (in 1700's) and brought their love of mustard, giving the region its signature golden sauce. Perfect on pulled pork or oven-baked ribs!
How to Make Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce (Step-by-Step)
Full ingredients + instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Gather your ingredients: You'll need simple pantry staples: yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, honey, ketchup, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and salt.
- Be sure to use classic yellow mustard only—no Dijon or spicy brown here—so you get that true Carolina tang and color.
- Note: This photo shows all the ingredients you need (for your shopping list)
- Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Let it cook for five minutes, then remove from heat and let it cool. Store the cooled sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
What to Serve With Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
Sure, it screams summer BBQ, but honestly? I make it year-round. It’s killer at summer cookouts, but I use it on weeknight chicken, drizzle it over sandwiches, and sneak it into winter slow-cooker recipes too. I always double the recipe and use half as a dipping sauce for chicken tenders, fries, or even drizzled over roasted veggies like corn. Here are my favorite ways to serve it:
- Oven-Baked Ribs: The classic—slather it on ribs right out of the oven, or serve it on the side for extra dunking.
- Pulled Pork Sandwiches: Pile high on a bun with coleslaw for a Southern classic.
- Chicken Thighs or Wings: Brush on grilled, baked chicken wings, or air-fried chicken.
- Seafood: Brush on grilled salmon, or serve with grilled shrimp skewers.
- Grilled meats: I love it on my grilled pork chops or as an optional sauce for my grilled flank steak.
- Creative Serving Ideas: Swirl into mac and cheese, drizzle on grilled corn, or use as a tangy base for BBQ pizza.
- Veggies: Toss roasted sweet potatoes, cauliflower, or grilled corn with Carolina gold for a vegetarian BBQ meal.
- Ultimate Platter: Set up a sauce bar with Kansas City BBQ sauce, Carolina gold, and your favorite store-bought barbecue sauces so guests can sample and compare (trust me, it’s a conversation starter).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Is Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce spicy? It has a little heat to it, but you can cut that back by reducing or removing the hot sauce. However, if you want to increase the heat, you can increase the hot sauce or add ½ teaspoon of cayenne powder.
- What makes Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce so different from other BBQ sauces? Carolina Gold is a mustard-based sauce, which gives it a unique tangy flavor with a hint of earthiness. In comparison, other sauces like Kansas City BBQ are tomato-based and tend to be on the sweeter side.
- Should my sauce be thick or thin? Your sauce should be about as thick as you would expect any other BBQ sauce to be. You don’t want it to be so runny that it would not stick to what you're using it on. If you need to thicken it up, just simmer it longer, but if you have gotten it too thick, you can thin it out with a splash more of apple cider vinegar or water.
- What is the best way to use my Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce? The great thing about Carolina Gold is that with its tangy flavor, it is excellent for use as a dipping sauce for things like fries, sausage balls, and onion rings, amongst many other things. Still, it is also fantastic for basting cooked meats with. It could also be used as a drizzle of a steak salad.
- Do I have to use yellow mustard, or can I try another kind? Traditionally, the sauce calls for yellow mustard. You can try other kinds like Dijon or spicy brown mustard if you want a different flavor profile altogether. But for an authentic Carolina Gold flavor, you will want to stay with the yellow mustard.
More BBQ Favorites
- Oven-Baked Pork Ribs
- Kansas City BBQ Sauce
- Grilled Salmon with Pineapple-Avocado-Tomato Salsa
- Grilled Marinated Shrimp Skewers with Veggies and Grilled Pineapple
- Grilled Flank Steak with Mango Avocado Salsa
- Grilled Pork Chops with Dijon Honey Herb Marinade
- Grilled Steak Salad
Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
Inspired by South Carolina tradition, Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce blends yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey, and brown sugar. This quick 15-minute sauce brings bold, tangy-sweet flavor to oven-baked ribs, pulled pork, or anything you want to upgrade.
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow mustard
- ½ cup Apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place all of your ingredients into a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture up to a simmer and continue to cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the barbecue sauce from the heat and allow it to cool.
- Transfer the sauce to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator.
- This recipe will yield about 2 cups of Carolina Gold BBQ sauce. For most uses, you’ll get roughly 10 to 12 servings out of this batch. If you’re just brushing it on meat or using it as a side sauce, you might stretch it to 14 servings.
Notes
- Storage: Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce should be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Freeze it for up to 6 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight if frozen before serving.
Substitutions
- Brown sugar – coconut sugars or monk fruit sweeteners could be another option.
- Hot sauce – Chipotle paste is another option.
- Worcestershire sauce – soy sauce is another alternative.
- Garlic powder – 4 cloves minced or 2 tablespoons pre-minced for a fresher garlic flavor.
You will need these supplies:
- Whisk
- Saucepan
- Measuring cups and spoons
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
Amount per Serving
Calories
58
% Daily Value*
Fat
1
g
2
%
Saturated Fat
0.1
g
1
%
Trans Fat
0.003
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
1
g
Sodium
482
mg
21
%
Potassium
67
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
13
g
4
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
11
g
12
%
Protein
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
30
IU
1
%
Vitamin C
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
20
mg
2
%
Iron
0.5
mg
3
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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